The Art Institute of California – San Francisco
Course Syllabus
Course Number: CA630
Course Title: Experimental Inquiry
Class Meetings: Tuesdays 8-12
Session/Year: Fall Quarter 2010
Instructor Name: Valerie Mih
Email Address: vmih@aii.edu
Phone: please use email
Instructor Availability Outside of Class: By appointment; try to make the most of in-class time for feedback.
Experimental Inquiry
Course Description:
In this course students utilize a dialectical approach that will lead to innovative and/or experimental solutions in the thesis. An advanced level of research skills and writing ability are presumed in order to successfully complete this course.
Course Length: 11 Weeks
Contact Hours: 55 Hours
Lecture: 11 Hours
Lab: 44 Hours
Credit Values: 3 Credits
Course Goals : It is assumed that the student is already involved with picking a thesis topic at this point as further development of the topic is required within the realm of this class
Course Competencies:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
· To inspire and continue the growth of the ability to produce works of art, enhancing their capacity to solve problems and find original solutions.
· Develop the aesthetic and critical sensibility regarding what good animation is. Students will be prepared to begin the task of judging competitions, writing reviews and critical essays, and generally proceed with the task of organizing and developing original theories which will offer insight and direction to the task of understanding culture presented within animation.
· Develop the technical and aesthetic skills to the levels necessary to compete in film and animation festivals.
· Develop the learning skills and strategies necessary to participate, through self-directed study, with evolving technologies, skills, and intellectual dialogue relevant to the field.
· Develop ability to present and elucidate upon complicated ideas and philosophies involved with the art making process.
· To be able to recognize and identify important people, styles and technological developments within the history of the field of animation.
· To become able to engage in the intellectual and critical dialog of the medium and enlarge the individual’s depth and breadth of discussion in these topics as well as incorporating their own animation work within this realm.
· To continue working on the written component of the thesis, expanding and refining the rough draft of the paper.
Course Prerequisite(s): CA560 Graduate Animation Production
Text(s):
Suggested Texts:
Animation Writing and Development,: From Script Development to Pitch by Jean Ann Wright, Focal Press (2005), ISBN-13: 978-0240805498
The Animation Business Handbook by Karen Raugust, St.Martin's Press (2004), ISBN-13: 978-0312284282
How to Write for Animation by Jeffrey Scott, Overlook TP (2003), ISBN-13: 978-1585674282
Materials and Supplies: Digital storage device for transporting files, notebook, drawing and writing supplies
Estimated Homework Hours: Approx. 6 Hours per week
Technology Needed:
Hardware: PC / Mac
Software: Microsoft Word and other software as needed.
Grading Scale:
All assignments must have clear criteria and objectives to meet. All students shall be treated equitably. It will be that student’s right to know his/her grade at any reasonable point that information is requested by that student. The criteria for determining a student’s grade shall be as follows (on a percentage of total points basis):
A 100-93
A- 92-90
B+ 89-87
B 86-83
B- 82-80
C+ 79-77
C 76-73
C- 72-70
D+ 69-67
D 66-65
F 64 or below
Process for Evaluation:
Attendance and Participation 22%
Students earn 2% of their grade with each class session in which they attend and participate. A student must be present for the whole class to earn 2%. 1% will be deducted if the student does not participate or leaves prior to the end of class. A student must be in attendance for at least half the class to earn any attendance credit. No unrelated computer websites/programs, email or social networking sites should be in use during the lecture or class critique, since they are disruptive (participation credit will be deducted for disrupting class).
Homework Assignments 78%
Only homework assignments turned in on-time and presented in front of the class will be graded. No work will be accepted after the last class session.
Assignment #1 (Course curriculum) 100 points
Assignment #2 (Festival submissions) 30 points
Assignment #3 (Final writing assignment) 100 points
Student Evaluation/Grading Policies:
· Class time will be spent in a productive manner.
· Grading will be done on a point system.
· Points for individual activities will be announced.
· All work must be received by the set deadlines.
· Late work receives a grade of zero.
· On-time projects may be redone with instructor approval.
· ABSOLUTELY NO WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE FINAL CLASS MEETS WEEK 11.
Classroom Policy:
· No food allowed in class or lab at any time. Drinks in recloseable bottles allowed in classroom.
· Edible items brought to class or lab must be thrown out.
· If student elects to eat/drink outside class or lab door, missed time is recorded as absent.
· Attendance is taken hourly. Tardiness or absence is recorded in 15-minute increments.
· Break times are scheduled by the instructor at appropriate intervals.
· No private software is to be brought to lab or loaded onto school computers.
· No software games are allowed in lab (unless in course curriculum).
· Headphones are required if listening to music during lab. No headphones are allowed in lecture.
· Any student who has special needs that may affect his or her performance in this class is asked to identify his/her needs to the instructor in private by the end of the first day of class. Any resulting class performance problems that may arise for those who do not identify their needs will not receive any special grading considerations.
Disability Policy Statement:
It is our policy not to discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities in its educational programs, activities, or services. If you have a disability-related need for adjustments or other accommodations in this class, contact the Disabilities Services Coordinator at 415-276-1060.
Academic Honesty Policy:
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty while pursuing their studies at AiCA-SF. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: plagiarism and cheating; misuse of academic resources or facilities; and misuse of computer software, data, equipment or networks.
Student work that appears to violate AiCA-SF's standards of academic honesty will be reviewed by the Committee on Academic Honesty. If the work is judged to have violated standards of academic honesty, appropriate sanctions will be given. Sanctions include but are not limited to course failure and academic termination.
Course Outline
Week 1: Lecture: Review of course content. This course will focus on research and writing in three areas of inquiry:
1) Teaching and course curriculum development
2) Festival submissions and film descriptions
3) Research essays, article writing and creative proposal development.
The deadlines for the course are as follows:
Assignment #1 – Due Week 6
Students will have completed a detailed course curriculum. This will include the following:
- Course syllabi with required textbooks and detailed week-by-week outline.
- Lesson plans/handouts for each week (minimum 1 page per week).
- One prepared lecture/demo, with sample files and handouts, to be presented to the class during Week 3, Week 4 or Week 5 (3 presentations per week).
Assignment #2 – Due Week 7
Students complete research into relevant film and animation festivals (selecting a minimum of 6 festivals), and complete a written film description for festival submissions.
Assignment #3 – Due Week 11
There are various options for the third writing/research assignment, as follows:
- Complete a detailed written proposal for an original animated show or series.
- Complete a research paper (8-10 pages) analyzing how an existing animated show or series was created through the development, funding, and production phases.
- Complete a research-based or creative article geared towards a professional animation, film or community-related organization, such as SIGGRAPH.
Website resources:
Technology and rate of change: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmz5qYbKsvM
Creativity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY&feature=channel
Can kids teach themselves? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRb7_ffl2D0
Cradle to Cradle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoRjz8iTVoo
Lab: Begin research for curriculum development project.
Reading: Research dependant.
Homework:
Watch Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture”: http://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/
What parts of this lecture spoke to you? We will discuss it in class next week.
Write a 1-3 page paper on 2-3 teachers (from any field) that have had a positive impact on your life. Reflect and analyze their approaches. Describe which elements of these inspirational teachers you would like to include in your own teaching practice. Be prepared to present your observations to the class next week.
Continue working on Assignment #1: Select a focused content area for their course curriculum. For next class, bring materials from at least 3 research sources (such as other course examples, interviews with instructors, on-line learning resources). These research materials should be submitted as an addendum to your project paper.
PLUS bring your thesis work-in-progress to class next week for individual feedback.
Week 2: Lecture: Presentation and discussion of the Last Lecture, student papers, research sources and works-in-progress course curriculums. Discuss research methods, teaching strategies and learning styles, including the concept of Multiple Intelligences. Discuss classroom management strategies and Nonviolent Communication (NVC) techniques.
Website resources:
Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale: http://vimeo.com/5732745
Multiple Intelligences: http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.php
Learning styles: http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm
RSA Animate - Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc&feature=related
Nonviolent Communication (NVC): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonviolent_Communication
Lab: Individual thesis project review during lab time.
Reading: Research dependant.
Homework: Continue working on course curriculum. Include ideas of connecting with the various learning styles and types of intelligence. For next class: bring a completed draft of your course outline and samples of your week-by-week lesson plans.
Week 3: Lecture: Presentation and discussion/critique of draft course outlines and works-in-progress lesson plans. Three students present a sample lecture/demo. Discussion/feedback on teaching and presentational methods.
Lab: Continue working on projects.
Reading: Research dependant
Homework: Continue working on projects. For next class: Refine your syllabi, course outline and lesson plans. Prepare sample files as necessary. Three students will present a lecture/demo in the next class.
Week 4: Lecture: Three students present a sample lecture/demo. Discussion/feedback on teaching and presentational methods.
Lab: Continue working on projects.
Reading: Research dependant
Homework: Continue working on projects. For next class: Continue refining your syllabi, course outline and lesson plans. Prepare sample files as necessary. Additional students will present a lecture/demo in the next class.
Week 5: Lecture: Three students present a sample lecture/demo. Discussion/feedback on teaching and presentational methods.
Lab: Continue working on projects.
Reading: Research dependant
Homework: For next class: Finalize course curriculum project. Complete syllabi, week-by-week course outline or lesson plans, lecture/demo plans and sample files.
Week 6: Lecture: Students present final version of course curriculum (including syllabi, week-by-week course outline, lesson plans, lecture/demo plans, sample files and handouts).
Discuss next assignment:
Assignment #2 – Due Week 7
Students complete research into relevant film and animation festivals (selecting a minimum of 6 festivals), and complete a written film description for festival submissions.
Lab: Begin research into relevant film festival.
Reading: Research dependent.
Homework: Complete festival research. For next class: bring completed festival research and written description for your film. Select at least 6 festivals to submit to upon completion of your film. Also, prepare your thesis materials to bring to class next week.
Week 7: Lecture: Presentation and discussion of festival research and completed festival descriptions.
Discuss Writing Assignment #3: to design a written proposal for an original animated show or series, to write a research paper analyzing the development of an existing animated property or to write an article/essay on original research or processes that can be submitted to an animation or community organization (e.g. SIGGRAPH or Society for Animation Studies).
For the original animated show/series proposals, the following items should be included:
- Project Summary Description (minimum 1 page)
- Visual Treatment Description (minimum 1 page)
- Target Audience Description (minimum 1 page)
- Detailed Episode Description or Script (minimum 1 page)
- Character Descriptions (minimum 1 page)
- Creator/Artist’s Biography (minimum 1/2 page)
- Funding, Festivals and Distribution Research (minimum 1 page)
- Visual Samples (minimum 1 page)
Lab: Individual thesis project review
Reading: Research dependent.
Homework: Continue working on projects. For next class: bring works-in-progress ideas to discuss in-class.
Week 8: Lecture: Presentation and discussion/critique of works-in-progress.
Lab: Continue working on projects.
Reading: Research dependent.
Homework: Continue working on projects. For next class: Prepare rough draft to present in-class.
Week 9: Lecture: Presentation and discussion/critique of works-in-progress.
Lab: Continue working on projects.
Reading: Research dependent.
Homework: Continue working on projects. For next class: bring works-in-progress to discuss in-class.
Week 10: Lecture: Presentation and discussion/critique of works-in-progress.
Lab: Individual thesis project review
Reading: Research dependent.
Homework: Continue working on projects. For next class: Bring finalized Writing Assignment #3 (in Word format), ready to present to the class. Adapt written paper to presentation slides if needed for pitch.
Week 11: Lecture: Final presentation/pitch and discussion/critique of final writing assignment for an original animated show or series; a research paper on the development of an existing animated property; or article/essay on original research or processes that can be submitted to an animation or community organization.
